


The Runaways: The Siege

by AYMI



Series: The Runaways: The Conquest [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Assassins & Hitmen, Female Friendship, Gen, Kidnapping, Minor Violence, Panic Attacks, but only in the second chapter really, it's all about the gals here, might have a few pew pew here and there, people swearing left and right, some deaths littered along the way too, starts out sort of tame, very minor though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-05-28 03:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6313576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AYMI/pseuds/AYMI
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story in which one street pickpocket, one runaway heiress and two polar-opposite assassins tries to find a common ground between the four of them while trying to secretly plan the downfall of the organization they all belong to. </p><p>Well, at least that's how it was supposed to go anyway, but like every story, nothing ever goes as planned.</p><p>(...It gets a whole lot worse actually.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Corner the Mice (right at its doorsteps)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...it's all part of the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's not hundred percent proofread so apologies in advance.

_Splash_ , _splash._

 

The sound of her hurried footsteps against the puddles on the ground echoed before it was promptly swallowed by the roar of the heavy downpour and she could only curse her luck for the lack of visibility as she blinks desperately against the raindrops on her face, breaths coming out in harsh pants as she ran from her chaser. 

 

The reason _why_ she's running?

 

She found out something she shouldn't have.

 

And now her life is in danger. 

 

_'I didn't mean to!'_   She thinks frantically to herself. ' _I just wanted to steal their money so that I can support myself. Who knew this will be more trouble than it's worth?!'_

 

* * *

 

She was born and raised in the slums.

 

And in the slums she lived with her family — or what society would have defined anyway. Most of the time, she just referred to them as the people she shared a roof with, strangers within the worn down shamble of a house that never provided even a meager amount of warmth.

 

Being the only female child among the six siblings you would think she will be treated better than she was.

 

_Wrong._

 

Being female is the worst situation one can find themselves in, especially in this ' _dog-eat-dog_ ' world of the slums where the weak is preyed upon by the strong. 

 

Hence from young her mother had taught her all she knew of how to be the " _perfect woman" ,_ in hopes that one day she will be wanted by a man from the city, to finally be able to rid the family of the life of poverty for good.

 

However, she didn't want that life. 

 

Didn't want to wait for a man to waltz into her life and make it better. 

 

No, she was going to prove to them that her gender wasn't going to be her limiting factor to grow — to survive.

 

So she taught herself to steal, if only to support herself with her own two hands instead of waiting for some non-existent man or her family to do so.

 

(After all, they never did want her, leaving her to starve more often than not for their own survival.

 

“ _I don’t blame them_ ”, she tells herself this every night, hoping that she will wake up believing it the next morning.)

 

Every day is passed by pickpocketing the random street-goers in the bustling city, retrieving information from reliable sources in dark alleys (where they willingly tell given a price that pleases them enough) about the higher class people to be used as blackmail for some quick cash, and if she felt a little adventurous, she will break into the rich's houses, taking whatever that would exchange for a good amount of money and wouldn't be missed by the owners.

 

With years to cultivate her skills, she became good at her chosen trade, having long seen nothing wrong with it; after all, she took from those who have everything and share her loot with those who have nothing.  

 

There had been a few close calls but at the end of the day, she got away with everything with practiced ease.

 

That is, until now.

 

* * *

 

That night with the full moon shining indulgently on the active city, the girl can’t help but feel slightly more daring as she deviates from her usual routine of stealing from random office workers and instead, decides to try catching one of the bigger fishes the city has to offer. 

 

Weaving her way through the crowd with an almost laughable ease she arrives at the posher sector of the city, stopping discreetly at the opposite building of a reputable 5-star hotel that can guarantee a bountiful steal if she plays her cards right tonight.

 

Casually, she leaned against the wall, pretending to be looking at her worn-out watch on her wrist when in fact she was observing the flow of people moving in and out, eyes alert as she judged who looks like they will be an easy target. 

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed distantly two girls who looked slightly older than her much to her surprise entering the hotel. At first sight, she paid little mind to the pair as she presumed they were just teenagers tagging along with their families for a stay which really, won't be that far off considering their appearance.

 

However, as she continues to watch them her interest was piqued as she soon realize that no adult was following them closely enough to be identified as either of the girls’ parents and what had her straightening up immediately was that through the clear glass she sees them walking confidently up to the check-in counter, stance and face neutral as they wait in line.

 

Mind made up and with excitement bubbling beneath her skin, the girl moved stealthily across the street, timing it so that she ended up tagging along the next couple who walked in the hotel, successfully evading the security's watchful eyes by taking advantage of her small frame that was obscured by the couple as she walked beside them till she made it into the main lobby. Once she was in, she slips away from her make-shift decoy, lingering near one of the pillars close to the counter, and just in time too it seems as one of the girls requested for a room for two before nonchalantly drawing out a wad of cash as payment from the inner pocket of her jacket. 

 

"What kind of teenager has _that_ much money?" she murmurs under her breath in disbelief as she watched the transaction being done.

 

After a few moments of waiting which seems to take forever as her impatience grew, the receptionist finally retrieved the room keys and passing it to one of girls with a smile and politely stating: “Your room number is 0316 and here are your room keys. Thank you for choosing Everstein Hotel, I hope you enjoy your stay with us. Have a good day Mesdames.” The two girls nod their heads in acknowledgment before walking past her to the elevator, clueless to her presence and she grinned smugly to herself as she makes to follow after them. 

 

However as she turns to follow the receptionist noticed her presence and with a courteous smile asked, "Miss, how may I help you?"

 

_'Why.'_ She thinks not without a hint of annoyance but not wanting to cause any suspicion to arise, she returns the smile and replies: "You see I was just about to leave the hotel but it looks like it’s going to rain soon and I'm really sorry to trouble you but I'm in a hurry now, so is it okay for me to borrow an umbrella from the hotel?"

 

"Yes of course, it's no trouble. If you don’t mind waiting, Miss." The receptionist bowed before walking away to the storage room, leaving the girl alone at the counter.

 

_'Maybe there's something I can use here.'_

 

Quickly, the girl scanned over the counter (which thankfully was only up till her torso) and much to her delight, she spots an All-Access Card right next to the keyboard in front of her which quite honestly, was a dumb move by the receptionist in her humble opinion but who is she to complain?

 

Only problem though, was that when she came in she had noticed with a quick glance that there were about three cameras placed strategically in the immediate vicinity — hell, there was one hanging glaringly right above her right now, and if, by some strange and totally unexplainable stupidity, she takes the card, she will definitely be caught red-handed and  _yes,_ that's  _absolutely_ what she needs right now.

 

Snorting at her own thoughts, she does a quick scan around the area to see if there was anything she can use as a distraction and upon noticing the decorative potted plant sitting on top of the counter an idea popped into her head.

 

Raising her right hand up just so, she makes sure her elbow collides with the potted plant, knocking it over and just as she hoped it tilts over the edge of the counter and smashes unceremoniously near the keyboard, scattering dirt and broken ceramics all over the area, including the card she needed. 

 

Alarmed by the tell-tale sound of something breaking, the receptionist rushed back out with a harried look on his face, the umbrella held in one hand as he immediately spots the disaster of a mess in his area.

 

"I am _so_ sorry! I swear it was an accident, I don't even know what happened, here let me help." Hurriedly, she apologized profusely and moves behind the counter in a pretense to help clean up the mess she caused deliberately by using the tissues she had grabbed at the counter. 

 

"Miss! It's really alright, please, let me clean this up instead." In an attempt to get her back out the counter the receptionist made to waved off her hands, causing their hands to collide instead and using that momentum she lets her hand swing, pushing a huge piece of ceramic laying nearby over the edge and sending it crashing to the floor in an even bigger mess.

 

"Oh my god!" She cried out, acting all flustered as she immediately bends to try and pick up the pieces only for the receptionist to stop her while repeating words of reassurance and saying he will clean up the mess. As soon as the receptionist turns to get a dustpan from the staffroom and disappears behind the swinging door, she covertly used the tissue to swipe the card among the dirt, pretending to bunch up the used tissues while she slipped the card up and inside her sleeve before throwing the rest away just as the receptionist came back. 

 

"I can take care of this Miss, here's the umbrella you requested. Please, have a good day." With a strained smile he handed her the umbrella, the displeasure and want to rid of her presence clear in his tone. Having achieved what she wanted, she hastily murmured a "thank you and sorry again", taking the umbrella from his hand before walking away from the counter to leave the poor guy to clean up after her mess.

 

Striding out of the hotel and only after making sure she was in the clear, she slid the access card out and into her hand with a triumph grin on her face, tossing the umbrella uncaringly into the nearest bin with a light hum.

 

_'Now, it's time to wait.'_

 

* * *

 

It's been hours and having stood in the cold of the night with only her old hoodie as cover, she had long grown numb to the chilly air while she awaits anxiously for her targets to leave, making sure her frame was hidden by the shadows of the looming buildings around her with only the moon above as her source of light.

 

Nervously, she wonders if perhaps, the girls will not leave the hotel again and had settled in for the night.

 

_'Shit, I forgot to think that that is a possibility, why am I so careless sometimes. Oh god, what if this screws up my plan and I'm just wasting my whole night staking out when I could have gone after someone else?'_

 

It was close to midnight when _finally_ , one of the targets appeared (luckily too as she was seriously considering going home empty-handed tonight), the hotel lights illuminating her silhouette as she briskly walked out of the hotel with a bulky suitcase in hand, and for a striking moment she was rooted in her place, breath held as the shadows seems to slide across the streets to congregate upon her person, pulling and stretching till they lay strewn behind her like a nebulous cape sewed together with threads of foreboding. 

 

For just a second, a second too long in her opinion, she was struck with the thought of ' _this is a bad idea'_ before the other turned at the corner of the street with the shadows nipping hungrily at her heels, taking with her a breath of relief from herself as she mentally slapped herself to get her bearing back.

 

_'It’s time to make my move.'_

 

Entering the hotel again was easy; now that it was the wee hours of the night the security didn't even bat an eyelash as she walked boldly past them, boarding the elevator to floor 3 while revising her plan in her head for the final time. When the elevator let out a soft ' _ping!_ ' to indicate the arrival to the third floor, she breathes in slowly to calm her racing heart and sends a silent prayer for another successful steal before stepping out of the elevator.

 

With soft steps, she turned to the right after glancing at the signs on the wall, stopping near the end of the corridor she paused to check her surroundings and noting no presence and security cameras around she knocked lightly on the door of Room 317.

 

She holds her breath and starts counting down to ten in her head.

 

No one answered.

 

Exhaling, she tapped the access card on the lock and upon hearing a soft click she opens the door and let herself in. 

 

Letting the door swing shut behind her she moves without hesitation to the balcony, opening the doors silently as she steps into the cool air of the night. After making sure that the rest of the balconies within sight remained void of any wandering eyes she clutches the railing of the balcony and in one swift motion, swings herself over.

 

_'Thank god for connecting balconies or else there goes my plan.'_

 

Pausing she listens carefully and after detecting no sound from within, she slips inside, grateful that her targets were careless enough to leave the balcony doors open. The room was, as expected, mostly in darkness except for the dim lighting that came from the lone opened laptop that was sitting on the desk that it took a few seconds before her eyes adjusted to the lack of light.

 

The girl scanned the room warily, only to relaxed marginally when she realized that she was alone in the room.

 

"Maybe the other one left when I entered the room…" the girl mumbled to herself as she tugged on her gloves she kept in the pockets of her hoodie, once she was satisfied that they were secured she began rummaging through the room, deciding to start from the bed. 

 

But after a few minutes of careful searching — turning every corner upside down and even going as far as to check the bathroom to see if there was anything of value hidden there — the girl plopped onto the seat by the desk, pulling back her hoodie to ruffled her hair in frustration as she comes out with nothing because surprisingly, for a pair of teenagers with too much cash on their hands, the room was void of anything she could take and sell except for a few pieces of clothing that won't amount to much in her eyes.

 

For the first time in a long while, the girl could only sit lost and wonder if she had miscalculated the potential of the steal. 

 

Crossing her arms in thought, she contemplated on waiting for the targets to come back to their rooms and roughing them up to give her their valuables as there’s a possibility that the possession on their body could be worth more than what she had found in the room which, to her disappointment, was nothing.

 

However, she soon crossed out that plan of action as she knew no matter how wrong and treacherous her way of life is, she won’t intentionally hurt them in any way as they are both just unfortunate parties to be targeted by her; besides, she was better than that, the morals instilled in her despite her circumstances won’t stand for her to stoop so low to harm someone just to get to her objective.

 

With the option of threatening them bodily harm out, the girl thought of blackmailing them instead. But first, she needs to get incriminating information on her targets to be able to do that.

 

Yet as she looked around in the dark, she was unsure of where to start when her eyes drifted to the desk beside her, distracted by the prickling sensation of light entering her peripheral.

 

_'The laptop!'_

 

With renewed vigor, she pulled herself closer, opening the laptop wider she stared at the screen intently, yet the information that greeted her sight caused her to be more puzzled, the glee she felt previously dying down for a low tickle of curiosity to itch under her skin as she takes in what is shown.

 

At the top of the screen in blaring bold red was the word ‘ **CLASSIFIED** ’ and right below was a detailed profile of a stranger named Ronald Greyford with an ID picture plastered at the side, the picture seemingly taken without the other knowing. 

 

Weird, but not something she could use against them so she immediately scrolled downwards.  

 

However, the more she reads the less she understood as the girl stared, perplexed at the little bar at the bottom of the profile that reads: ‘ **STATUS BAR: IN PROGRESS** ’.

 

Absent-mindedly, she wonders what it could possibly mean when suddenly, the laptop beeped and the screen was refreshed.

 

A violent shudder coursed through her, frantically she scrambled away from the laptop as if burned, fingers trembling as she stared wide-eyed at the screen in silent horror.

 

_**STATUS BAR: ELIMINATED**._

 

The girl did not know who those girls were — ‘ _Danger that’s what_.’ Her mind whispered conspiratorially — but she knew, in a flash of chilling revelation, she had chosen to mess with the wrong crowd.

 

In spite of the deafening alarm going off in her head, she began searching through the laptop for any other information about the girls as she yielded to her growing curiosity, but yet as the saying goes: “ _curiosity killed the cat_ ”, it was swiftly turning into dread that settled like lead at the pit of her stomach the more she found out and inferred.

 

"It's rude to go through people's stuff without permission you know." 

 

Her hand froze midway to the keyboard; icy tendrils of fear ensnarled her heart, rendering it useless against the frantic call of her instincts to _run, run, run!_

 

Gulping down the fear that was rising in tandem with the goosebumps breaking out over her arms, she forced herself to whirled around to face the person behind. However, she immediately regretted doing so when she locked eyes with the owner of the voice, effect instantaneous as the previously insistent urge to escape shriveled and died with a whimper with the heavy look the other set upon her.

 

Her ambusher did not possessed any remarkable facial features as far as she can tell: squared-jawed, high cheekbones, almond shaped eyes framed by a pair of black ordinary squared glasses and her straight ebony hair tied into a messy ponytail. Body-wise she wasn't really all that impressive either, with an average body build and height, seemingly only slightly taller than herself from what the girl observed.

 

No, it definitely wasn't the appearance that had gotten her to freeze up and submit sub-consciously because frankly, the other looked to be quite unassuming and not a least bit intimidating in any way as far as she can tell.

 

No, it was more of the way the other held herself, assured and confident as her arms crossed loosely over her chest and stance relaxed as she stares her down from where she's sitting, and the _aura —_ it was... _something else_ alright from the way it seems to expand and fill up the entire room, a quiet kind of domineering that crawls undetected under your skin and slowly, carefully, chips away at your conscious till it's far too late and you only realized it when you're under its thumb.  

 

And in her line of work she had seen many kinds of people, different types of auras but _this one_ , this one that the girl possess in front of her was _dangerous,_ one of _the_ most dangerous from all that she had come across and nowpaired with how _normal_ the other looks it's just a downright _lethal_ weapon the other has.

 

_God_ , the other surely must know too from the way she smiles almost serenely at her, amusement plain as day as she watches her struggle under the pressure.

 

She watched, with a wariness that she reserved specially for things or _people_ she deems to never cross, how the other lets her gaze drift behind her and to the opened laptop, before making eye contact with her again as she hummed, "I see you have been pretty busy Izzy."

  
The sound of her name coming from a stranger's mouth sends shivers wracking her body, the shock factor enough that she snapped out of the daze she was in only to flinch physically away from the other, the familiar spikes of panic tinted with confusion flaring in the base of her heart that had her gaping wordlessly as she attempts to get her thoughts in working order again. 

 

_'But how'_ echoes confusedly in her mind because her name, her _given_ name which she never revealed to anyone and is only known by her family and the government's records, was _spoken by a stranger._

 

A stranger — who most likely could end her with a snap of her fingers if the information she gleaned was anything to go by called her by her actual name that she was _definitely not_ supposed to know and yeah, how was that supposed to make one feel?

 

Extremely uncomfortable and afraid for one’s life that’s what.

 

Under normal, albeit rare, circumstances if she were caught, Izzy would have chosen the smartest and most likely to survive option to keep quiet and deny everything accused of her before finding an opportunity to slip away when presented, staying low for a while till the attention died down and she decides to venture out again.

 

But that was under _normal_ circumstances, and right now everything tonight was anything but because  _normal_ teenagers weren’t supposed to have that much physical cash with them to afford a goddamn hotel room (5-stars at that let her remind you), or be this intimidating that they might as well be the spawn of Satan himself _or_ to be able to have the means to know random people’s name when they have _never_ met before in their _whole goddamn life_.

 

And _most_ important of all,  _normal_ teenagers most definitely do not go around dealing with people with a smile on their face and a gun in their hand as if it were just a walk in the park.

 

So really, all things considered she _did not_ choose the safest choice (' _nope, nuh-uh, no way ma'm'_ ) and quite possibly chose instead, to do one of _the_ most stupid things that is definitely going up somewhere of her _top 10 dumbest moments in life_ (which, in her defense, her stupidity _always_ has a habit of making an appearance without fail at the worst of times) and asked:

 

"What _are_ you and what do you do?”

_'I will say I'm surprised me but, oh well. It's either go big or go home they always say.'_

A few seconds passed by as neither spoke, a strange sort of tension befalling on the room and Izzy shifts in discomfort, eyes looking anywhere but the other as her heart pounds a rapid beat in her ears.

 

In the end, the other only grinned at her, one too alike to that of the cheshire cat for her liking as she replies evenly, "Mm, I _could_ tell you, but that won't be fun will it? So how about this," and here she gestures with a slight tilt of her head towards the laptop without glancing away, "you tell me what you found out instead." 

 

There's a...there's a game that the other is playing at but for fuck sake's, Izzy is too strung up right now to actually _think_ of a proper comeback and if the other is expecting her to play along well, she's going to be sorely disappointed (because she doesn't do mind games. Period.).

 

Clenching her fists, Izzy took a deep breath to gain back some semblance of control, lifting her chin up and making sure she holds the other's gaze as she speaks slowly, "I know your name is Yama and the girl you came with today is your partner, Morta. You both are working for an organization that apparently goes after people they don't like, how _exactly_ I'm not sure, but I think I have a pretty good guess."

 

"Oh? You seem pretty confident in that guess of yours, care to share it with the class?" The other — _Yama_ steps forward then, and out of reflex Izzy staggers back a step, hands reaching behind her to grab the edge of the desk to steady herself, the hard line of the desk pressing into the small of her back and Izzy feels trapped, nowhere to run or hide as Yama stands between her and freedom. 

 

"You kill them, you kill them and-and I know who your next target is so if you come any closer I'll rat you out to the police!" Everything she knew comes tumbling out in a dizzying mess of words, and _oh_ if she wasn't going to die then she certainly is now as her face pales at the realization of what she had just said. 

 

' _Really Izzy? You're facing a trained killer who probably doesn't even bat an eye when she slits someone's throat and all you can think of is to threaten to tell the police?? Fucking good job you, now you just booked yourself a one-way ticket straight to hell I hope you're fucking happy this is how you go god.'_

 

but perhaps it was a rush of foolish bravery or perhaps she was just indignant that this stranger is not taking her seriously, _or_ perhaps she was aggravated at the stranger's blatant indifference of the nature of her job, that she was going around killing people without batting an eyelash like she was already used to the blood of her sins clinging onto her like a second skin.

 

(She probably was.)

 

Yama laughed then, light and amused as if they were just talking about a particularly hilarious matter—maybe in her eyes it was, a petty little thief trying to threaten an assassin, if Izzy was in her shoes she might have laughed too but she is not and this is getting ridiculous—

 

"Do you really now?"

 

And oh, _oh_ well then maybe Izzy is regretting her past decision a little as the smile dropped from Yama's face, her aura that had receded comes back with a vengeance, overbearing as it hangs over the two of them and Izzy’s feels her heart kick-start into a frenzy again as she struggles to hold onto her last shred of courage.

 

“Well we can't have that now can we?” Yama drawled, her eyes seemingly darken—that could be due to the lack of light but Izzy can't be entirely sure—as she tilted her head to the side in mock consideration. “I suppose I have no other choice—You must understand, it is, after all, _‘top-secret’_ information.”

 

Body tensing in apprehension Izzy watched as Yama casually slides her right hand behind her coat, a grin barely concealed and in feigned interest she asked,

 

“I heard you’re a pretty fast runner, should we test that out?”

 

That’s it; she’s getting the _hell_ out of there _now._

Using Yama’s momentary slip of her guard, Izzy shoved past her and ran out of the room without looking back, not noticing the triumphant smirk on Yama’s face as she let her hand fall to her side. 

 

_Checkmate._

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

She did not know how long she ran, she just knew she had to get away to safety.

 

The rain was beating down on her now, a mere drizzle had evolved to be a raging downpour and Izzy could feel her hoodie dragging her down like a dead weight, heaving pants as fire ran in her lungs and blood, pumping, pumping, pumping till she feels all she’s left is bones and her rotten core yet she dared not stopped.

 

Dared not look back to see if she was still being chased by that monster.

 

When the fear had washed away along with her adrenaline does she slow down, hands on her knees to catch her breath as she blinks rapidly against the persistent raindrops, mind on overdrive as she desperately thinks of where to go.

 

She can’t go back home—not with serious psychopaths coming after her head after she had stuck it in where it didn’t belong. 

 

 Guess there’s only one place to go.

 

* * *

 

There was an undeveloped land once near the slums, with thriving greenery as far as the eyes could see, with the occasional wildlife making their home within nature’s gift and to the people of the slums who had nothing this land was their very own “Persephone’s Garden”—a beautiful reprieve where they can finally lay their ghosts to sleep.

 

(Even if it is for just a moment—

 

 A moment is all they will ever need.)

 

Then the city’s government comes in with vehicles that snaps hungrily at the blooming trees and apathetic eyes as they tell them that there wasn’t enough land and that surely the people won’t mind giving up a small piece for the sake of majority and—

 

And what can they say?

 

What _can they say_?

 

Nothing.

 

(Because the people in the slums knows, knows they are nothing more than the rats who only knows how to hide and watch as the humans steal their last means of survival without a squeak of protest.

 

  
_Pathetic_ , she wants to spat at them.

 

But so is she.)

 

Now all that’s left is towering skyscrapers, heavy smoke billowing from concrete chimneys and barely a quarter of the land untouched—only because even Mother Nature can’t bear to see the complete destruction done by those dirty hands so before the humans could do anything else she destroyed the remaining with thunderous earthquakes till all that was left was ruins and the skeletons of ghosts all dug up at their feet—and here’s where Izzy built her own kingdom, a treehouse barely held in place as it rests between two twining trees standing desolated in a wrecked land, and Izzy couldn’t help to feel it suiting as she wearily climbs up the tree.

 

Grunting she pulled herself up the last of the way and of the things she could have expected to see, _this_ definitely doesn’t even make the list but yet there before her very eyes were the very two people she was running away from.

 

Openly gaping as she could only stare dumbfounded, Yama was sprawled on her make-shift bed, playing idly with the few plush toys she owned while occasionally cooing and making indistinguishable noises and the other, Morta if she remembered correctly, was sitting in a rickety old chair while looking all elegant and poised (how she does that Izzy really wants to know), flipping through a tattered book and frowning and clicking her tongue ever so often.

 

  
_Oh_ , and had she forgotten to mention that there was a _sniper rifle_ resting innocently by her side?

 

Yes?

 

Well, there’s a sniper rifle resting by her side and _god_ , Izzy really hates her past self so much right now. 

 

"Oh look who has finally arrived!"

 

Snapping out of her thoughts, Izzy realized that for the time she had been lost in her self-chastising the two had also become aware of her arrival.

 

Morta had abandoned the book to the side and was mindlessly tapping against her rifle as she assessed Izzy with narrowed eyes and Yama was now seated in an upright position, leaning her head on her left fist and assured she had Izzy’s attention where she wants it, she gestured to the room languidly with the other hand as she smiled in feigned apology at Izzy, "You took too long so we invited ourselves in, I hope you don't mind."

 

And before Izzy could retort back because ' _damn_ who does this girl think she is?' Yama continued on, “I was wondering if you will like to have a chat with us Izzy, I’m sure it will be worth your while.”

 

“To hell with you, why do you think I will say yes?” Izzy snapped, fed up with being messed around by girls who think they are all that and she turned away, ready to just stomp out of there when— _click_. 

 

There, aim right at the center of her head was the barrel of a gun, a finger on the trigger and letting her eyes trailed up, _up, up_ till she was met with a smile painted with patience and yet the edge crooked in warning,

 

“I think you misunderstood,” Yama spoke lowly, her eyes boring into Izzy’s as her smile widened to reveal crooked teeth that seem too sharp, too—

 

“I wasn’t giving you a choice Izzy.”

 

There was a saying, Izzy remembered faintly, “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back”; her curiosity may have given her a ticket straight to hell but Izzy’s pretty sure no amount of satisfaction is bringing this one back anytime soon.

 

_God fucking damn it._


	2. Knock knock here's your new life with a bang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...wasn't meant to be literal though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and following the trend, this isn't proofread either. proceed with caution!

“Now, sit down and let’s talk.”

 

Disgruntled, Izzy sat where she stood, keeping an eye on Yama or more accurately, the gun she was holding that was _still_ pointing at her head.

 

“Okay okay, what do you want to talk about?” Izzy asked, cringing inwardly at the unpleasant feeling of wet clothes plastering to her skin plus the thought of her creating a mini puddle below her where she sat.

 

Damn, she _really did not_ like the situation she was in a lot.

 

Yama smiled at Izzy’s compliancy, disregarding the detail that she had forced the other girl into submission and settle back down on the bed, bouncing on it a little as she put the gun down beside her although still keeping a steady grip on it.

 

Izzy eyed the gun in her hand for a moment, contemplating whether she should make a run for it now when her eyes drifted up to Yama’s and immediately she decided it was better not to risk it.

 

(It wasn’t because she was scared of Yama and Morta, _pssht_ nothing of that sort it was just the way Yama was grinning at her with a knowing look before casually jerking her head behind her and Izzy realized with horror that Morta was scrutinizing her with a menacing scowl, the sniper rifle now seemingly poised at her and simply taunting her to move.

 

 _If_ she dares that is.

 

So in conclusion, she wasn’t scared of the pair of them, she was scared of the weapons they have.

 

Really.)

 

“We have a deal for you—”

 

“More like you have a deal, I was dragged here after doing the job for the both of us.”

 

“— _aaand_ it will be one where it will benefit both parties greatly.” Yama pressed on, ignoring Morta’s side comment as she smiled pleasantly at Izzy though Izzy knows better to trust that.

 

“Uh okay?” She replied unsurely, not sure how anything will benefit her at this point but she kept her thought to herself, highly aware of the gun and sniper rifle at her enemies’ (cause that’s what they are at this point) disposal.

 

“Great! I was hoping you will say that, I mean I really didn’t want to do this the hard way. God knows it takes too much time and trouble and do you know how much energy I had to expend just to gather intel on you? More than you would—”

 

“Yi—Yama, stop rambling and _get_ to the fucking point already.” Morta snapped, glaring at her partner fiercely as the other whined childishly about how mean she was being, only grudgingly following what Morta said when the sniper refused to let up on her glare, even throwing _the_ look at her for extra measures.

 

"Fine, fine. What a spoilsport. Geez.” Yama huffed, and for a moment it appears like she was going to continue to pout like a kid which Izzy finds unbelievably annoying because _hello,_ if someone should be pouting and whining about their circumstances it should be her, her who was _unwillingly_ placed into a scenario she very much want to escape from but _noooo_ , she had to endure her pride being crushed by a cocky assassin who also seems to be a five-year old kid stuck in a teen’s body and being scared sh-tless by her partner of a demon who won’t stop glowering at her as if she’s Medusa herself and very much like to turn Izzy into stone for being the whole reason she has to endure her partner’s stupid antics.

 

(Izzy very much wants to tell her “I don’t want to be here as much as you do woman” but didn’t think she will garner much sympathy if going by the withering look Morta was _still_ shooting her now.)

 

But seriously, she wasn't going to stand being treated like this.

 

Just as she was about to voice out her displeasure, Yama seems to snap out of her slump _(if you could even call it that)_ and appraised Izzy with a calculative stare that makes Izzy squirmed uncomfortably in her skin that she couldn’t help but to look away.

 

“Alright, I’m going to say this only once so you better listen up.”

 

Noting how Yama’s tone has taken a solemn tone, Izzy looked back at her, her curiosity snagged at the sudden change of demeanor as she unwittingly perked up from her slouched form, noticing distantly Morta rolling her eyes in the background as she leans back in the creaking rocking chair gracefully (which _should be_ impossible and illegal in Izzy's eyes because she had never look that elegant in that chair before).

 

“As you probably already gathered, my partner here and I works for an organization that trains contract killers to fulfill missions given by our clients who looks for a permanent and efficient method to end their problems. But you see, in such an organization there’s bound to be risks in our line of job and well, some never make it out—for good.” There was a pause and Izzy took this time to observe the pair; Yama’s shoulders were pulled back into a hard line and Morta for all her indifferent attitude, was clutching her rifle with bone-white knuckles.

 

She looked down then, a lump rising in her throat and she wished she could be anywhere but here, here where she had been cornered and nowhere to hide, hide from the insistent grappling of the pair of demons trying to drag her down to hell with them—

 

(But they aren’t.

 

Because the fear of death is very real in all of their minds, much more with them who lived and breathed every moment of it and the cracks in their masks no matter how minuscule was there if one knows where to look.

 

And Izzy has looked and seen.

 

They aren’t demons or monsters from the stories a parent will tell a child.

 

No, they are real and terrifying and ugly and—

 

And they are human, just like her.)

 

—and now reality coils itself around her neck, a heavy rope tied too tight and everything and nothing seem to choke her all at once, her breath stolen and gone.

 

Her hands are shaking.

 

It felt like an eternity, waiting for someone to snap the cord holding them prisoner to the fear rooted deep in their heads but eventually, every standstill needs to come to an end.

 

Suddenly Yama slapped her hands together, the sound awfully loud in the tense silence a moment ago, managing to startle Izzy out of her desponding thoughts that she let out a strangled shriek, Morta’s eyes meeting Yama’s for the briefest of moment before she turned her head away, composure back as she uncurls her fingers slightly from the locked grip she had on her rifle.

 

Izzy’s wide eyes watched as a cheerful smile starts unfurling on Yama’s face, distantly wondering how the girl manages to get a grip on her emotions so disturbingly quick but all other questions were thrown out the window when Yama begins to speak again.

 

“So in order to solve any manpower issues that may arise, the organization decided to open its door to any potential individual that possess what the organization seeks and this is where _you_ come in Izzy, as after a period of observation I, one of the official scouter of the organization, deems you to have what it takes to deal and survive in the organization.”

 

Izzy nodded dumbly, mind too much of a scrambled mess to actually process the words the assassin was spouting, figuring she should just go along with it first and think later once her brain decides to start functioning again.

 

“Hence, on behalf of the organization, I will like to warmly extend an invitation for you to formally join us Izzy.”

 

Another pause, one of consideration as Yama regards Izzy expectantly but recognizing the look of confusion splayed bare on her face Yama asked, resigned, “Do you have any questions?”

 

"Um...Are you guys going to kill me?" Izzy blurted out in a rush since it was the most disturbing question that had been bugging her for a while now (read: ever since they started threatening her).

 

Yama sighed, her free hand itching to slide over her face in frustration as she replied, “No, we kind of need you alive.”

 

“Oh…” Izzy looked from her to Morta and back again, the confusion on her face seems to increase and tentatively she asked, “And why do you need me alive?”

 

“ _Oh my god_.”

 

Izzy looked to Morta who voiced that out, jumping when Morta pointed a finger at her as she stared at Yama determinedly.

 

“Let’s just knock her out and bring her to headquarters."

 

“That’s kidnapping Morta, and besides, it’s against protocol to take any unwilling trainees without their consent. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to be nagged by the heads again for not following protocol.”

 

“That’s bullshit and we both know it. Besides, you never follow the rules so don’t start with me now.”

 

Yama seems ready to retort back when—

 

“ _Um I’m still here you know_.”

 

Both turned to see Izzy following their exchange with an annoyed frown, her brows furrow slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest.

 

“…Right, as I was about to explain, what I meant was that the organization will like to take you in and train you as a potential assassin Izzy. So what do you say?”

 

Izzy rolled her eyes, deciding it was finally time to end this silly charade of theirs as she stood, stretching her limbs a little as she fixed Yama what she hoped to be a bored look as she replied, “Yeah, thanks for the offer but no thanks. I’m content with my life now so you guys can go back to wherever you came from and we’ll pretend this never happen so adios amigos.”

 

Satisfied that she had said her piece, Izzy was fully prepared to leave and forget everything about this encounter when a snort stops her in place.

 

Spinning around she finds Yama covering her mouth with her free hand, eyes narrowed as she coughs none too discreetly before she sobers up, that annoyingly patronizing smile on her face as she stares Izzy right in the eye.

 

“Oh, but don’t you think it’s a little too late for you to walk away now?”

 

Izzy was about to question what Yama meant by that when she noticed belatedly the gun now pointing at her. Panicking, Izzy tried to make a break for it but that few seconds of opening was all Yama needed as she fired her gun, a silent release as the bullet zooms towards its intended target.

 

A sharp whistle ring in her left ear as the bullet whizzed past her, grazing her temple and she doubled over, hands clamping over her mouth as nausea overwhelm her for a second before her vision blurred and she collapsed to the floor in a tumbling heap.

 

Her head was buzzing, and everything felt like it was coming down around her in a cacophony of crashes yet she tries to hold on the last string of her consciousness as a pair of blurred black splotches stopped in front of her.

 

“What happened to 'that's breaking the protocols'?”

 

“…Oh shut up and help me get her to the car.”

 

And she hears no more.

* * *

  
The first thing that she registered was that everything was too bright.

 

She groaned, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the pinpricks of light that seems to have no qualm of stabbing her eyes out from beneath her eyelids.

 

Blearily Izzy cracked open an eye, and abruptly shut it again as the ball of light seared her sight. Holding back the urge to curse, she turned her head and tried again, her vision swimming before it settles and Izzy shot right up in bed.

 

_Bed?_

 

Suddenly more alert than before, Izzy scanned her surroundings with suspicious eyes; it was a spacious room (by her standards anyway), with nebula blue walls with silver constellations spanning across the four walls and ceiling that it makes her feel like she was right in the sky with the stars, and hanging on thin metal threads were three huge eight-pointed stars painted in the purest of white she had ever seen, spread across the perimeter of the room for optimal results as warm light spills from within like scattered starbursts.

 

The room was surprisingly pretty bare, amount of furniture in the room kept to a minimal although the design was quite extravagant in her opinion. Now that she was of a clearer state of mind, she noted how the bed was elevated on a rounded platform at the back of the room, with a single low table at the center of the room, classic black with a few cushions placed nearby. The door was right across her, blending in to the walls that she almost missed it had it not been for the glint of metal borders as well as an inconspicuous keypad situated right beside if she squints hard enough to find.

 

It was absolutely beautiful, and the plushness of the bed beneath her only further sealed her approval of it and she would have loved to get back in bed and exploring the room in closer details once she was fully rested.

 

Well, if she didn’t remember the little detail that she was kidnapped that is.

 

Just as she was contemplating whether to move or not, the door to the room slide open with a hiss and she regard the person behind the door with concealed hostility as they stepped in before the door slid shut behind them with a soft click.

 

Assessing the new stranger she didn’t seem to posed as a threat: a female, slightly older than her by the looks of it, with a round face that screams compassion and kindness, her smile friendly and gentle as her downturned eyes seem to crinkle at the edges in delight upon noticing Izzy awake, a slightly plump figure dressed in a tailored suit but that only seems to accentuate the compassionate aura emitting from her, and the hostility within her ebbed away a little upon realizing how genuine the smile was.

 

At least it wasn’t any of the other two, it was a small mercy that she will take considering the long trying day she had.

 

“Hi! It’s good to see you finally awake, you have been asleep for four hours now so I was getting a little worried.” The girl chattered happily, bending down to place a tray on the table, relief coursing through her to see a cup of water on it as her throat started burning from the parchedness now that she was assured she was of no immediate threat.

 

“Where am I?” Izzy croaked out, embarrassment quickly rising in her as she realized how awful and raspy her voice sounded, hacking to rid of the dryness in her throat.

 

When she looked up again, the girl had reached her side, the cup of water in hand as she smiled at Izzy encouragingly. Hesitating for a moment, Izzy considered the cup offered before taking it, following what her gut told her that this girl will not harm her after being everything but cruel to her since they met.

 

Her gut had never failed her before and it (probably) wont' now.

 

Gulping down the water in a hurry, the girl was silent as she waited patiently for Izzy to be done before gently taking the cup from her hands and placing it down beside her.

 

“Um, thank you.” Izzy cringed at how awkward she sounded, but the girl’s smile seem to grow, looking pleased at being of help to Izzy as she shakes her head while saying it was no big deal.

 

_Huh._

 

“My name is Beryl, very nice to meet you…” Her sentence trailed off, eyes expectant and Izzy came to a realization that this girl didn’t know who she was. Strange, she would have thought that if she was a comrade of Yama and Morta she would have known her name as well.

 

“Izzy.”

 

“Izzy, right! Nice to meet you Izzy, and I really mean it since it isn’t everyday a new face appears around here.” Beaming, Beryl extended a hand and Izzy shook it, not without some apprehension, though she really appreciates how normal Beryl was acting towards her.

 

In fact, it was so normal in such an abnormal situation that it makes her put her guard up even more despite how kind Beryl has been to her till now.

 

“Where is this?”

 

“Here? This is the one of the many resting rooms for injured personnel of the organization, and well I was told by Y — Oh!” Beryl gasped, panic flashing in her eyes as her smile morphed into a worried frown, and much to Izzy’s confusion she started pulling at her arm in a motion for her to get up, Izzy stumbling out of bed in a rush to avoid falling over with how insistent Beryl was pulling her, mildly shocked at how much strength the girl possessed in such an unassuming body before righting herself to find her balance as Beryl give her a hurried once-over, fussing over her ruffled attire and disheveled appearance while muttering under her breath at too fast a speed for Izzy’s recovering mind to pick up on.

 

“Why what’s happening?” Izzy asked amidst Beryl’s vain attempt to smooth down her unruly hair before giving up with a defeated “it will have to do” and shoving her hoodie—which was dried much to her relief—at her as she dragged Izzy out of the room with the iron grip she had on her arm.

 

“No time to explain! I can’t believe I forgotten my own orders…oh no, I hope they won’t be too mad at me for being late…” Beryl mumbled, her pace picking up and leaving Izzy to lengthen her stride just to keep up.

 

“Who?” Determined to get answers, Izzy panted a little as the hallway they were walking seem to stretch forever, and she was too busy trying to keep up with Beryl’s fast pace that she didn’t managed to get a good look at her surroundings.

 

“You will know once you get there.”

 

Knowing when someone doesn’t want to continue a conversation Izzy kept her mouth shut and they walked on in silence, her mind whirling as she wonders what fate will be awaiting her at the end of the road. Biting her lip, Izzy could only hope that it will be one that will give her less problems to think about, she doesn’t feel like she could handle another bomb being dropped on her right now.

 

In what felt like hours but in actual was only a few minutes they stopped in front of a black door with a lone black metal plate card that reads ‘Solar System’ in white cursive letter on it.

 

Before she could open her mouth to ask, Beryl rapped her knuckles on the door in three quick successions and intrigued Izzy watched as the door let out a ‘whoosh’ before it pushed inwards, and without a sound slide to the left to allow the pair entrance into the room.

 

Izzy was about to follow Beryl inside when she realized the girl had stepped aside and was instead gazing at Izzy steadily, a small but apologetic smile on her face. Puzzled, Izzy asked, “You’re not coming with me?”

 

“No,” Beryl replied, glancing into the room before she looked back at Izzy, “My orders were only to escort you here after you wake, I am required to return to my training once I’m done.”

 

“Well, I better get going, and you better as well. They don’t really like waiting for people and can get real nasty about it if stalled too long.” She patted Izzy comfortingly on the shoulder, though Izzy appreciates the gesture she couldn’t help feel her uneasiness sky-rocket at the mention of ‘them’, having a sneaking suspicion who exactly awaited her in the room.

 

And sad to say, her last hope of a problem free fate just jumped out of the window and died a terrible death as it splatters to ground with a scream.

 

Shuddering at the mental image, Izzy looked pleadingly at Beryl, now the one gripping the other as she blurts out desperately, “Don’t leave me to die. Please.”

 

Gently— _does this girl always have to be so gentle about everything?!_ —Beryl shrugged Izzy’s hand off, giving it an encouraging squeeze that did nothing to soothe her before pushing her inside.

 

“Good luck!” was the last thing she heard before the door close with a final click that sounds awfully similar to the click of a gun that was the cause of her misery now.

 

“Oh god, save me.”

 

“Uh…I’m no god but maybe I could be of help?”

 

Screaming, Izzy whirled around only to face another girl—how many were there—who had looked as startled as her, though most probably because she had not anticipated to get such a reaction out of Izzy.

 

“You trying to give me a heart attack woman?!” Izzy hissed, placing a hand over her racing heart, giving her most intimidating glare to the cause of her sudden heart palpitation.

 

The girl at least have the decency to look sorry, though her grin wasn’t helping her case as she positively beam at her like the goddamn sun itself.

 

_Oh my god, someone better give me shades or I’m gonna have to punch her lights out._

 

Scowling, Izzy looked away from her, deciding to check out the new room she was in instead of looking at the sunny girl who is only sapping all her energy away from her as she practically glow in the barely lighted room.

 

And if she had said that the room she had been was impressive then this room doesn’t even have a word to describe it.

 

Gaping at the sheer size of the room, it really wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was _humongous_. It was a circular structure very much like those world conference meeting room with two levels to boot, her and the girl standing on the second floor apparently as she leaned over the railing to look down at the floor below.

 

Right in the center was a step-up podium, enclosing it was an almost complete circle of a table with keypads installed where each black recliner chair stood, why she had no clue but left it at that as right behind the podium was a gigantic screen filling the whole wall, and she wonder how awesome will it be to watch a movie with that kind of screen.

 

Done inspecting the first floor, she figured that the whole second floor was a view in floor, filled to the brim with black recliner chairs that could probably hold a hundred people tops while the first floor will be for important associates or the likes only.

 

Although the giant screen was eye-catching it couldn't possibly compare to the chandelier hanging from the ceiling as Izzy stare transfixed by it.

 

It was a huge piece make to replicate the actual solar system, managing to cover the whole room as the planets rotate slowly at their own spot and if she squints hard enough she realizes that they were moving inch by inch along the metal rings, with the sun burning down on the podium like a glorified spotlight as the rest of the room was illuminated by the dim light the other planets were emitting.

 

"Impressive isn't it? I wonder how much it cost to build that."

 

Glancing at her left the girl has joined her in gazing at the miniature solar system hanging above their heads, close enough to see the painstaking details of each planet but never close enough to touch.

 

Shrugging Izzy didn't bother to reply, she didn't have the answer anyway.

 

"Hey, sorry for scaring you back there. I'm Alison, but you can call me Ally if you like." The girl, or Alison, turned her body to Izzy, beaming at her and Izzy wish she will stop doing that.

 

Forcing a smile, Izzy quietly muttered, "Izzy, just don’t do it again.”

 

Saluting Izzy with a mock serious look, Alison peered downwards, humming a little before she turn left and right in search of something. Izzy observed her from the corner of her eye, hands stuffed into her hoodie as she wondered why the heck the both of them are here for.

 

“Hey, let’s go down there to explore!” Alison exclaimed, pointing towards a flight of stairs not too far to their right. Without waiting for a response, she sprinted forward, skipping down steps two at a time as Izzy stare dumbfounded before scrambling after her.

 

“Um I don’t think that’s a good idea…” She muttered worriedly, hurrying down the stairs to catch up with the energetic girl.

 

“Why not? I mean, there’s no one here beside the both of us and they didn’t exactly tell us what to do or not to do.” Alison reasoned, plopping herself down in one of the recliner chairs and spinning to face Izzy with a carefree grin.

 

Biting her lips because Alison did make a very valid point, Izzy cautiously walked towards the chair next to Alison, aware of the girl looking expectantly at her as she settle herself down, unable to fully relax unlike Alison who was spinning herself silly in the chair with a “Whee!” occasionally escaping from her lips.

 

At the edge of her seat, Izzy decide to inspect the keyboard installed into the wooden table, wondering what they will do if she just tried to press the buttons.

 

“I won’t touch that if I were you.”

 

Scurrying away from the keyboard as her back straightened by reflex to the lecturing tone, she spin around only for her heart to sink lower as she tensed at the pair making their way down the stairs.

 

“You.” She tried making her tone as neutral as possible as she didn’t want Alison to suspect anything but the accusation in her voice was unmistakable, Alison stopped mid-spin to peer at her questioningly while Yama grinned connivingly.

 

“Me.” She echoed, her grin widening as Izzy’s glare sharpened, and she probably will have provoked the other more if Morta had not smacked her on her back to get her moving.

 

“Please just get on with it.” Morta mumbled, feeling a headache coming as her partner shot her a withering look, obviously disappointed she couldn’t have more fun messing with her trainee.

 

Knowing when to draw the line, Yama let the matter go, fully aware how hard a day it had been for her partner, and while she wanted to have her fun she will definitely need all the energy left in her for the initiation test they will be giving to the trainees later, although honestly speaking she was ready to fall asleep on her feet and seeing as how Morta was having an even shorter temper than normal so was she.

 

Stepping up to the podium because she felt like it, Yama pulled out a set of cue cards from the inner pocket of her suit jacket, clearing her throat she skimmed through the content her superiors wrote for her to recite—because apparently they can’t trust her enough to do this part right—and snorted but stifled it when she noticed the warning look from Morta who had chosen to lean against the wall at the far corner for a better vintage point of everyone in the room.

 

“As a representative of the organization, W.H.A.T, I’m pleased to welcome our newest trainees into the initiation program and I hope to see many great things come from our latest addition to the team.” In a monotonous voice Yama systematically read it, one hand stuffed into her slacks’ pocket and if that wasn’t indication enough of how bored and tiring she finds the speech then her slouched position as she leaned against the podium says enough.

 

“Now to begin with, I’m sure most are wondering what exactly our organization do. Our organization has been founded on the principle of national safety and the security of the government’s structure in order to ensure a functioning and thriving country. Hence we work close in hand with the— _oh_ to hell with this.”

 

Blinking in surprise at the sudden change of tone Izzy watched stupefied as Yama proceeds to throw the cards in her hands to the side, before stepping down the podium and walking towards where she and Alison sat watching with wide eyes.

 

Yama slammed her hands down, startling Izzy that she let out a soft shriek while Alison barely concealed the flinch as she scoot her chair back a little to create a little distance as Yama looked down upon them.

 

“I never liked doing things their way anyway so how about I start over?” Yama smiled warmly at them, looking from one to the other and as always without waiting for a response she ploughed on, “I will say welcome but the circumstances of how you guys arrive aren’t exactly the most pleasing so let's not waste anymore time on that alright?"

 

“Regardless of how you came to be here there is only one thing you will need to remember from now on: your mentor’s rules and orders are _absolute_ and failure to comply will result in punishment in accordance to the level of disobedience. So in shorter terms less bitching and more doing capisce?”

 

Izzy raised her hand, intending to ask the question that has been bothering her since waking up. Yama glanced to her, her smile quirking into a smirk as she swiftly continued before a single word could come out of Izzy’s mouth.

 

“And if any one of you runts are thinking of dropping out of this program before we even start then let me say this: _get that thought out of your fucking head now_. In this business once you’re in there’s no going out ever again, in fact, here no one _ever_ have a right of choice.” Izzy slowly dropped her hand, biting on her lips as she refused to show them that she had given up on the situation.

 

Here, Yama tilts her head in thought, before adding on carefully, “Although there might be a way out if you’re desperate enough.”

 

“What is it?” Izzy didn’t even wait, hope unfurling in her chest at the prospect of an exit from this sticky situation.

 

“It’s really simple actually,” Yama drawled, smile bitter as she leans in, voice dropped low as she whisper conspiratorially, “You just need to die.”

 

Pulling back languidly she make sure to capture the trainees’ reaction and much to her expectation, it didn’t fail to amuse her.

 

Alison’s face had paled, no longer sporting the overly bright persona she had a few minutes ago, and Izzy, her face was such an open book to the two experienced assassins, her disappointment and fear all bundled into one as it reflect on the way her mouth was left gaping slightly, eyes blown wide as she stare unblinkingly at Yama.

 

“Wha—” Izzy spluttered, her heart thudding in her ears and it was like in the treehouse all over again, everything pressing down on her at an alarming rate, the phantom brush of hands on her neck and she chokes on nothing, coughing she breathes in and out to the numbers she chants in her head.

 

“Are you okay?!” Alison asked, concern on her face as she pats Izzy’s back and guiltily Izzy felt a flare of relief that she wasn’t the only one suffering as she noted how Alison was worrying her lips a little too hard before sub-consciously raising her hand to her mouth to bite on her nail instead, probably unaware of how much she was revealing to everyone else of her own anxiety over their current predicament.

 

Deciding to stuff that piece of information away of her new…acquaintance of sorts, Izzy focus her attention on Yama, her fear morphing rapidly into an all-consuming anger as she shot upright from her seat, fists clenched and she was this close to punching the other as she lashed accusingly at her, “Are you playing us now?!”

 

Without batting an eye at the sudden outburst of anger, Yama straightened up so she stood face to face with Izzy.

 

“Do you think I will joke about something like that?”

 

The word ‘Yes’ was resting on the tip of her tongue, but she held it in, anger dissipating like the wisps of smoke as she recalled back to the moment when she felt like she might have understood the two, and grudgingly she had to admit no matter how bad they could get, death was a topic too sensitive and personal for either of them to throw around so carelessly, more so just to rile up a reaction from her.

 

Which will mean Yama had been speaking the truth up till now.

 

Defeated, Izzy sunk down onto the chair, Alison eyeing Izzy and Yama with a wariness that was not present before, unsure what transpired between the two that eventually made Izzy back down and Yama upset despite the cool exterior the other held.

 

It was a question for another time, and Alison quietly shuffled the matter into the back of her mind as she refocused her attention on Yama.

 

“Now that all of us are clear how bad of an idea it will be to attempt running from the organization, it’s time for you guys to get familiarize with how things work around here.” Yama let her eyes drift to the corner where she knew Morta was listening in, nodding her head once she settle her sight back on the trainees.

 

“And to do that as quickly as possible you two will be under the tutelage of your seniors who will make sure you guys don’t do anything stupid to get yourself targeted and killed. Or, in other words, you will be baby-sited whether you like that or not, so I will advise you guys to suck it up now if you have any issues.” Yama stepped back once she finished with Morta sliding silently to her side, arms crossed neatly and Izzy noted how alike the two are as they stand side by side.

 

“And since you guys are fresh meat, here is a word of advice: Your mentors are going to be your only ally in here, everyone else will be too busy trying to survive to give a fuck about your problems so be wise and don’t trust anyone so easily, understand?”

 

Exchanging a dubious look with Alison, Izzy wonder just how cutthroat is this world that they are told upfront to trust people with only a pinch of salt, but nevertheless, she and Alison both mumbled words of acknowledgement, still not quite believing yet already categorizing who they could trust from the people they had met so far.

 

Satisfied that her words had left an impact no matter how small on the trainees she clapped her hands together, bouncing on the ball of her feet as she exclaimed excitedly, “Great! Now that all the formalities are out of the way, it’s finally time for you guys to meet your mentors!”

 

Here both she and Morta share identical smiles, and Izzy just knew then that her time of suffering has only started.

 

“Let me reintroduce myself, my name is Yix and this here is my partner Megan and from this point onwards we each will be your mentors.”

 

_What?!_

 

“It’s finally nice to meet the both of you, and I hope you two are ready for your initiation test.”


	3. The choice is in your hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...but is it really?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beware of grammar inconsistency.

“ _Wait_ , your names are not Yama and Morta?”

 

“Initiation test? What’s that?”

 

Yix sighed as both trainees fire off questions off their own, already she was looking forward to going back to their dorm room and sleeping the rest of the day away but first…

 

“To answer you Izzy, no that’s just a cover name for the both of us to use on missions, it will be kind of stupid of us to use our real names don’t you think?” Izzy furrowed her brows at Yix’s explanation, not quite comprehending why it was necessary for them to have fake names if they are supposedly good at their respective jobs when it’s just more trouble coming up with one.

 

Which come to think of it, the fact that she found out about their names (albeit fake) in less than 10 minutes _was_ sort of baffling. She had to admit, technology and she didn’t have the best of relationships, at best it was tolerable but at its worse it’s downright antagonistic.  So how exactly, with only the fundamentals at her belt, did she managed to dig up their profiles so easily?

 

“How…?” She let her question lingered, the nagging feeling she was missing something vital here, that she knows the answer but it refuses to come to her only serve to increase her frustration and impatience of the whole matter.

 

“Do you really think,” And here Yix waggled her eyebrows exaggeratedly with a wide grin, “you could have found what you have if I actually tried to stop you.”

 

The moment the words sunk in and the realization smack into her like a slap, Izzy resisted to bang her head on the desk and cry for the injustice of it all because _of course_ , of course nothing that happened thus far was caused by a wrong call of judgement, if she ever thought to analyze everything she will have realized how convenient it was for her to get to point A to B when she had planned to rob the two blind.

 

Turns out it was her that was blinded by her own arrogance.

 

And she, the blind mice, had fallen unwittingly into the trap planned by the cheeky cat.

 

“You set me up!” Four words, yet it seem to summarized her whole situation to a T.

 

“Of course, how else will I have an excuse to bring you here?” Yix replied matter-of-factly and it is a testimony to how much she had gotten use to the other’s personality in the short span of time they had interacted that Izzy doesn’t even react to it anymore, waving a hand resignedly in the air as she slumped in her seat.

 

Done with answering Izzy’s question, Yix turned her attention to Alison, her grin diminishing as she answered, “And to you Alison, the initiation test is, as it imply, a test for all trainees to undergo to prepare them for the roles they are assigned to when they are recruited into the organization. It is also to strengthen the mental fortitude of the trainees right at the get go so that they don’t get too…shocked by how ruthless their missions will comply them to be when they do get there.”

 

Alison nodded, apprehension seeping into her expression as her brain picked up on the implications easily by Yix’s words though Izzy remained clueless as she always does through the whole explanation.

 

“Are we going to do it now?” Alison asked, eyes flickering back and forth between the two seniors as she squeezed her hands together nervously.

 

“Yes, and you will be doing it individually while supervised by your own mentor.” Megan replied smoothly, folding her arms together as she stared both trainees down.

 

“Um, so which of you are our mentors respectively?” Alison asked, straightening up as she returned the stare head-on whereas Izzy looked away, curling in on herself while wishing it could make her disappear and whizzed her back to the past that she was used to.

 

“Please god, I never ask for much but let it not be the crazy one or I swear, I swear I will…I will do something just you wait.” Izzy muttered, hands clasped together dramatically as she looked up at the ceiling with the planets rotating lazily above them.

 

There was a moment of silence because apparently, both of their seniors are sadistic beings who love to watch them squirm in their seats in anticipation (or apprehension) by dragging out the suspense, and Izzy briefly wondered should she make a break for it now.

 

It’s says a lot about her that she is still thinking about escaping when she knows it’s futile.

 

“Yix will be Izzy’s mentor and I’ll be yours Alex.” Megan announced, throwing a smug look at Yix who rolled her eyes in response, tapping her wrist subtly before letting her eyes drift to the back of the auditorium. Megan’s smile dropped minutely before she coughed discretely, catching the two trainees’ attention who just a moment ago had been engage in their own argument after the announcement.

 

“Well, now that we are done, it’s time.”

 

“For what?” Alison piped up, still sending Izzy smirks which was received with a vicious scowl by the other who would have flipped her off if not her own dignity stopping her.

 

“God does no one listen to me when I talk?” Yix whined, although it was so half-hearted that everyone blatantly ignored her as Megan quirked an eyebrow, before saying slowly, “Your initiation test, or do you not remember what that is?”

 

That dampen everyone’s mood immediately, almost comically so had it not been for the despondent and troubled looks on the trainees’ and mentors’ face respectively.

 

“Ah, that.” Alison laughed weakly, trying to dispel the awkward silence that had descended after the sharp reminder, reluctantly getting up and out of her seat she gestured to Megan, “Alright, lead the way I guess.”

 

Megan’s expression shifted till it reflects back an unimpressed stare and a slight frown to her stoic face, slapping Alison’s hand sharply but gently away and staring her down till Alison fidgeted uneasily before she huffed, “I know you are used to ordering people around back where you came from but here I will have none of that you understand?” Alison nodded mutely, satisfied with the response Megan walked briskly to the exit with Alison at her heels.

 

All this, Yix and Izzy watched on, the former with amusement and the latter with mild fear till the door slid shut noiselessly on their backs.

 

“I probably shouldn’t get on her bad side.”

 

“Nope, but I think you already are so you’re cool.”

 

Izzy could only stare at her mentor incredulously because, just _how_ , had she already gotten to Megan’s bad side when they barely interacted?!

 

“Well we best get going too.” Yix chirped as if she didn’t just blatantly ignored Izzy’s look, opting instead to run a hand through her hair warily before beckoning Izzy to follow her.

 

And as the door clicked shut behind her, Izzy thinks this is it, she is going to die.

 Izzy swears, with a hand across her heart, that Yix is playing with her right now and that they have been walking through the same corridor for the past five minutes.

 

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” She asked tentatively, keeping in step with the older girl as she turns her head left and right to take in her surroundings.

 

Yup, same old white walls with impossibly black doors.

 

They are definitely lost.

 

“And for the twentieth time, yes I know where we are going and no I’m not messing with you right now.” It was almost an automatic response at this point, Izzy nodding her head when she noticed the slight twitch of Yix’s fingers.

 

She knows too well the signs of an incoming slap so she wisely kept her mouth shut and focuses her gaze in front of her instead.

 

The silence between the two was not totally comfortable but Izzy didn’t feel the need to fill it with words, she will probably just make things awkward or even worse, give Yix more ammunition to tease her with so she lets herself drift off, wondering whether her family will have noticed her disappearance by now.

 

Probably not, considering they don’t even register her presence most of the time unless they need someone to clean up their mess.

 

Scoffing at her thoughts, she kicked at the annoyingly pristine marble floor, head tilted down with a frown marring her face.

 

“Your family has been informed of your disappearance, although to where exactly is kept tight-lipped, so you should probably stopped frowning like that or else you’re going to look older than you are.”

 

The words have her immediately snapping her head up, mouth agape as she tries to get her tongue working.

 

“Wha-?”

 

_Eh, good enough._

Yix gave her an amused smile, tapping her temple as her eyebrows lifted, “I’m a mind reader and your thoughts are as clear to me as words printed in bold on a piece of paper.”

 

It was spoken with such a serious tone Izzy was almost inclined to believe it.

 

Almost.

 

“I may be slow sometimes but I’m not dumb okay!” She shouted indignantly, embarrassment quickly taking over as she realized how her words are echoing in the empty hallway.

 

“Oh? Could have fooled me.” Was the breezy reply and Izzy had never felt like punching a person face so much as now.

 

Deciding a change in topic was for the best, Izzy choose to bore a hole into the side of Yix’s head till the other acknowledged her with a silent ‘ _what_ ’.

 

 “Why me and Alison?”

 

Yix hummed, that ambiguous smile making its appearance again as she replies: “I wonder why indeed.”

 

_Another dead-end._

Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she turns away from Yix, believing it to be the end of yet another conversation when surprisingly, the other spoke quietly beside her after a pause.

 

“We were watching you, or well more specifically, _I_ was watching you.”

 

“You were wha—”

 

“That’s my job, to watch for potential in every crack and corner of this country and it just so happens you caught my eye.”

 

The way the other speak was so nonchalant, so _easy_ of an admission that it predictably set another spark of anger in Izzy as she rounded on the other, effectively blocking the way as she glares with fists clenched at her side.

 

“You were _watching me, spying on me, have you guys had no sense of privacy at all?!”_

 

Yix merely tilted her head, as if she was puzzled, _confused_ as to why Izzy will blow such a big fuss over the issue and _wow have these guys never been trained in the art of respecting someone’s privacy?_

 

“We are an organization that strives to do what’s best for the country, and if it has to come at a cost of the people’s privacy then so be it. What’s important after all, is that we are keeping _everyone safe,_ and if we have to watch them to do so I don’t believe it is such a problem no?”

 

“But—”

 

“It’s our _job,_ that’s all there is to it and if you want to make this into another unnecessary big issue then I will suggest doing so after you earn that right, which I hate to remind, you have none.” Yix interrupts calmly, coldly, and again it cuts a little too deep as Izzy clamps her mouth shut, lips a thin line as Yix pushed past her without another word.  

 

“Now come on, we don’t have any more time to lose.”

 

The rest of the trip was made in relative silence, although this time it was more strained, fizzling with tension and honestly Izzy just doesn’t understand how they could go from tolerable companions to hostile enemies and back in just a few seconds.

 

What’s more Yix never really truly answered her question.

 

“We’re here.”

 

Izzy looked up (since when did she had her head down?) and…

 

…was faced with another black door.

 

“…You guys really need to hire another interior designer.” Yix laughed, as if a few minutes ago she wasn’t cutting her down with knife-like precision (really she doesn’t understand this woman _at all_ ), waving her comment off easily as she placed her palm on the wall, and _surprise surprise_ , Izzy didn’t even see the scanner situated right beside the door.

 

 “I’ll make sure to put it in the suggestion box next time.” Yix replied ( _do they actually have a suggestion box?_ ) and ushered Izzy inside after the door slid open with a green light from the scanner.

 

When she stepped in (albeit reluctantly) a sense of unease rose as she took stock of the room.

 

“Uh, not that I doubt you since you seem to be the one who knows this place but,” She paused, eyes roving over the pitch black walls that surround her, no light source except for the beam of light spilling in from the hallway, “you sure we’re at the right place?”

 

“Trust me.”

 

And before she could reply how ironic that sentence was the room was plunged into darkness as the door slammed shut.

* * *

There was a moment of utter panic as Izzy’s mind went blank at the suddenness of the situation, her heart thudding unbelievably loud in her ears and her body tingles hot and _I have to run, run run run—_

“This way.”

 

The whispered words send a chill down her spine and Izzy had to keep the strangled scream from tearing out of her throat when a hand lightly settled on her right shoulder.

 

“ _Ohmygod_.”

 

“Oh I’m sorry did I scared you just now?”

 

The words tickled against her ear, and Izzy _really_ had to restrain herself this time from lashing out reflexively to where she assumed Yix was because _no, violence won’t do any good Izzy she is your only guide here don’t_ hit _her or else we are gonna be stuck in this void for eternity_.

 

She did growled though, which sadly only seem to elicit a huffed laughter from the other as the hand on her shoulder gave her a light nudge to what she presumed was her left.

 

“How do you even _see_?” She hissed, steps careful and slow despite the (painful) push from her shoulder which she easily interpret it as _move the hell along woman_.

 

“I don’t, I just remembered the layout that’s all.” Came the irritated response, and seeming to realize how little they have progressed, the hand on her shoulder slid down till it grabbed roughly on her arm and now she was pulled along at a brisk pace, Izzy yelling out incoherent words at the sudden motion.

 

“ _We are going to die_.” Izzy wailed, somehow managing to keep her balance and not bumping anything which honestly, was a feat in and of itself.

 

No response was given, although the hand around her tighten causing her to wince as her poor arm throbbed painfully to the rough treatment.

 

Damn this woman have some freaky strength.

 

After what seem like _hours_ (which probably was only a few seconds, a minute tops) they stopped, and light flooded the room.

 

 Immediately her eyes slammed shut.

 

“The hell people?! Do you not have control?” She snapped, eyes slowly inching open till she adjusted to the brightness and her surroundings finally came into focus.

 

And shut them again.

 

_Oh no, no no no please no._

 

“Please,” she choked out, hands clutching desperately at her jeans as the initial unease turned to full blown horror, “tell me that this is a dream.”

 

“No,” the word sounds distant to her ears, there’s a ringing that sounds like bells ( _bells that sounds awfully like the ones back home when someone dies_ ) at the back of her head, and it rings and rings till it becomes a cacophony of sounds and yet that voice rises above everything else and says,

 

“This is real Izzy, _this_ is your initiation test.”

 

“No.” It was out of her mouth before she can process it, her heart beating erratically, as she tries to get her breathing under control again, “No.”

 

“No?”

 

It was sharp, whip-like and effectively silencing the horrible clanging of bells in her head as her eyes snapped open to stare wide-eye at the speaker.

 

The word was freezing cold as it cuts straight through her thoughts, but the eyes reflected back at her were downright _flaming_.

 

Yix stood at perfect posture, hands tucked neatly at her sides and her mouth a hard line with her face an unreadable mask to Izzy.

 

She much rather see the sly smile on that face than this.

 

(Because at least then she can still read her.)

 

“…no.” Izzy whispered, chancing a glance at the figure laying against the wall before promptly looking away again, breathing out of her mouth to calm her erratic heart.

 

For there, leaning on the smooth metal wall was a body, legs wobbling as fearful eyes watched the both of them through long bangs, a hand pressed to the mouth to stop any stray noises from escaping.

 

But that wasn’t what had Izzy turning away.

 

It was the knife still embedded in the person’s midriff, the blood— _oh god so much blood_ —that coated every inch of skin Izzy could see, a long gash that is an angry red caked with dried blood running from the right eye till it disappears down the edge of her cheek.

 

It was horror movie worthy, and Izzy wants nothing to do with whatever they planned.

 

Her breathing was the only thing she can hear in the oppressive silence, each second that ticks by scrapped against her nerves, yet she was afraid, afraid to look up at Yix to see what expression she holds after her refusal and afraid, to look behind her at the cruelty of the organization the girl adorned like a veil of scarlet pain.

 

The clicks against the marble floor had her raising her eyes, panic bubbling up as she watched Yix made quick and calculated steps towards her, steps that come to a halt as she stands before her, close enough for Izzy to see the dark brown of her irises with her reflection swimming within the depths.

 

If she wasn’t already uncomfortable enough with the lack of personal space, Yix leaning closer while gripping her forearm in a death grip had her squirm restlessly in place.

 

She would have pulled away, but Yix’s next words froze her to her place, her eyes holding hers for another second before she pulls back, her mouth a neutral line as she steps away till there’s now a comfortable distance between them.

 

Not that it registered in Izzy’s mind when she suddenly finds herself trying to breathe through the panic and horror coursing in her body.

 

Yix smiles, and this one Izzy _knows_ because it was the exact same one when Yix had asked ( _demanded_ ) her to join the organization before pulling a gun on her and look where she is now.

 

And she watches, can only fucking _watches_ as Yix pulled a handgun from the holster strapped to her waist, steady eyes watching her as Yix holds it out to her like an offering.

 

“It’s time to make your choice.”

 

She swallows, once, twice but her tongue is stuck to the roof of her mouth and nothing comes out, _nothing is coming out come on say something_ and she wants to scream and throw a fit but her whole body is numb, she can’t feel anything other than the sting behind her eyes as she stares transfixed at the gun in the devil’s hand.

 

The dull clacks of metal against marble catches her attention and immediately she regrets it as her eyes met the only visible eye of the body— _girl, that’s a girl because Yix said ‘her’_ —and in it she can see herself, frightened and alone and helpless and it’s _too much_ , it reminds her of too much as she catches sight of the scars and wounds and dirty bruises littering the body now that her eyes has adjusted that she turns her head sharply away, away from the girl and her horrible reminder of what’s at stake here.

 

And then she looks back at Yix, who never ever let her see anything more than what she wants her to see, and right now all Izzy sees are hard lines of indifference and bitingly sharp cruelty staring back at her, and she can hear it again, the toll of church bells along with Yix’s words against her ears.

_It’s either your life or hers._

 

She didn’t want to hurt the girl further, and it’s not like she was particularly fond of living anyway so death should be an enticing option to her. It was easy to choose, the choice was obvious enough and all Izzy had to do was say the word.

 

She just had to say it.

 

_I’m sorry._

 

But she is a coward, and she didn’t want to die.

 

_Not this way._

 

She grabs the handle of the gun with a shaky hand, eyes refusing to meet either one of them in the room, but she can hear the approval in Yix’s voice as she speaks,

 

“You make the right choice.”

 

She hates it, hates how that sounded and if she wasn’t so shaken to the core maybe she will have a witty comeback at the tip of her tongue to bring Yix down a notch but right now all she can do is focus on breathing right, her right hand shaking with the gun in her grip and she clasps it tight with her left to steady herself.

 

_Here, no one_ ever _have a right of choice._

Funny how that came from the very person who asked as if she was gracious enough to give Izzy a choice.

 

“Now, let’s finally begin shall we?” Izzy wants to object but the weight of her choice ( _hah_ ) rest in her hand and she couldn’t say anything.

 

She’s much too guilty to say anything heroic at this point.

 

“That girl over there,” Here she forces her head up, following the direction of Yix’s stare to the girl who had now retreated to the corner of the room, eye watching them fearfully even as she crumples in on her battered body to make herself look smaller, a weak whimper escapes and reaches Izzy and she tears her gaze away, too ashamed and sorry to look for long, “is our target’s daughter, or one of the many he has anyway, and is withholding important information on the target’s whereabouts.”

 

“The plan was for you to extract that information by any means necessary, as well as to see how… _creative_ you can go about it but,” The word hangs in the air, and a shudder passes through her when the corner of Yix’s mouth quirk upwards and the gun in her hand seems too heavy to hold, “I supposed under _such pressure_ it is hard to keep it all bottled inside no? So our dear girl here ratted her own father out to us, which makes the initial purpose of the test useless. So after much consideration, the higher-ups have decided on a new mission for you.”

 

“Your new mission recruit Izzy,” Briefly Izzy wonders what thought crosses Yix’s mind as the other stare coolly at her, eyes clear behind the lens of her glasses, wonders if Yix felt the kind of fear she have back when she stands in Izzy’s place and awaiting judgement, “Is to kill off the hostage as she is of no more use and only a potential liability to the confidentiality of the organization.”

 

Wonders if her own mentor had been as cruel as her as she is to Izzy now.

 

A deliberate pause, one that seems to coil the all the tension in the room around Izzy, her body stiffening while her grip tighten that her whole arm feels numb and a desperate thought creep into her mind that left her shaking to her bones:

 

_Kill Yix with the gun in your hand, kill and you can run._

_…Then what?_

 

And suddenly Izzy understands, really _understands_ why Yix had handed her the only gun in her disposal, leaving herself vulnerable and without a weapon to defend herself if Izzy had decided to put a bullet in her head instead.

 

Because she knew Izzy won’t do it.

 

Yix knew she won’t shoot at her even with the gun in her hands.

 

And when she looks at Yix again, she thinks she finally _see_ Yix who has been looking at her all this time.

 

_Then what?_

She sees the question reflected back at her, challenging but knowing all the same and Izzy stops.

 

Stops thinking about running away, instead she thinks about whether Yix had learnt all these lessons the hard way too.

 

_We are always watching. Kill one and two more will takes its place._

“Ah.” Was all that Izzy could say, but it tells enough.

 

For a second Yix’s neutral expression waver, hard lines and sharp edges softening to _something_ that Izzy couldn’t identify fast enough but in the next second it was gone, and there stands the stranger Yix has always been as she speaks:

 

“Ten minutes. Three bullets, three chances. Don’t waste it. You may begin.”

 

Then she was truly left alone as Yix turned her back and walked out of her sight, and there was only silence as she braces herself, taking deep calming breaths as she slowly faces the girl, hand no longer shaking as she holds up the gun and aims it at her temple.

 

Their eyes met, and Izzy easily recognizes the plea in them.

 

_Please. Please don’t shoot me._

 

She recognizes it, because it was something familiar.

 

A plea she herself had beg back in the slums and in the confines of the rundown shack of a house.

 

But this wasn’t the slums, this was her new reality and she’s the one who holds the power to decide how another’s life will play out.

 

_No more running._ She tells herself.

 

And she cocks the gun and releases the safety, and the girl’s eyes squeezes shut.

 

This was it.

 

This was where she will make her first kill, draw the first blood.

 

But strangely, as she presses on the trigger, all Izzy could think about was how bright the lights were as a scream tore through the still air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we will be really happy if you leave a kudos or comment if you enjoyed the story! thanks so much for reading too!


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